= i IF, AS Disraeli once remarked, time is the great physician, the capacity to diagnose must be as profound as the ability to heal. We were led to believe by a cacophonous, lazy and superficial media that Grace McCarthy, Peter Brown, Kevin Murphy and others had crafted a brilliant deal with Li Ka-shing of Hong Kong. Conversely, we were told that this dazzling achievement had been forged despite the meddling of Peter C. Toigo, David Poole and Bill Vander Zalm. Opting for family unity instead of a more characteristic common sense, the premier ignored his gut feeling and yielded to the B.C. Enterprise Board’s recommenda- tion. His failure to exercise a veto has created the worst real estate deal since the Pacific Scandal of the last century. aan As story after story hits the headlines, the Hong Kong business czar appears like a spake oil salesman before an eager group of local bumpkins. The stories indicate a $100 mil- lion Iand clean-up job. More than a decade will go by before the en- tire proceeds of the sale put that much cash into the provincial treasury. ‘ - We also see that in one neat $40 million deal with a Hong Kong compatriot (don’t be misled by the Single Roses with fern name Canadian Metropolitan Properties, its local lawyer nominees or a mysterious Los Angeles address) that Mr. Li has recovered his entire down payment and then some. 1987 that Grace McCarthy and the premier put together the B.C. Enterprise Corporation. At that time, I accepted an appointment to the board which was to be headed by Peter Brown. Confusion within my radio world and complaints by some that this would be a conflict of interest forced me into a reluctant but in- Either afraid of Toigo, envious of him or insulted by his brusque and direct manner of business, the Enterprise board became obsessed with freezing him out.’’ This deal has cost him nothing so far. He has already banked a profit and still has three-quarters of the prime real estate. eee Let's back up to the close of Expo 86. The Fal